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TOP NEWS

Islamic State Demands $200 Million Ransom for Japanese Hostages

Islamic State Demands $200 Million Ransom for Japanese Hostages

<p><b>Islamic State:</b> A video purportedly released by the Islamic State has <a style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;" href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbVAcbeb>threatened</a> to execute two Japanese hostages unless the Japanese government pays a ransom of $200 million within 72 hours. The threat appears to be in retaliation for a Japanese pledge of nonmilitary assistance to countries fighting the militant group, which was announced by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday during a visit to Cairo.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The two men, who were shown kneeling in orange jumpsuits on either side of a knife-wielding masked militant, are identified in the video as Kenji Goto, a freelance journalist, and Haruna Yukawa, the chief executive of a private security firm. The masked militant resembles the figure that appeared in previous Islamic State videos, and appears to speak with a British accent. "To the Japanese public, just as how your government has made the foolish decision to pay 200 million to fight the Islamic State, you now have 72 hours to pressure your government in making a wise decision by paying the 200 million to save the lives of your citizens,” he says in the video, speaking in English. “Otherwise this knife will become your nightmare.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>A spokesman for the Japanese government said that there would be "no change to our policy of contributing to the international community’s fight against terrorism." The Japanese pledge included food and medicine for Iraqi and Syrian refugees. “Using human lives as a shield to make threats is an unforgivable terrorist act, and I am extremely indignant,” said Abe. “I strongly demand that they be released unharmed immediately.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Economy:</b> The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has <a style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;" href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbWA265c>downgraded</a> its forecast for global economic growth for 2015 and 2016, citing weaker than expected investment in developed and emerging economies. The IMF now predicts a rate of 3.5 percent this year, down 0.3 percent from its previous prediction, and 3.7 percent growth next year. Russia suffered the sharpest revision, with its projected growth falling from 3 percent to 1 percent, because of falling oil prices and Western sanctions.</p>

Africa

<ul>
<p>• Zambians <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbXAbdf8>voted</a> for the successor to President Michael Sata, who died in October, but no winner has been announced.</p><br/>
<p>• A worker for United Nations' peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic was <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbYAb3b4>abducted</a>. </p><br/>
<p>• Police fired <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbZA1031>warning shots</a> at demonstrators in Congo, where <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbaAeee9>four people</a> have already been killed during protests over a potential delay of the 2016 presidential election.</p><br/>
</ul>
Americas

<ul>
<p>• The announcement of the new cabinet of Haiti's President Michel Martelly <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbbA6739>failed to satisfy</a> protesters who had taken to the streets in protest of his rule.</p><br/>
<p>• Protesters marched in Argentina demanding an investigation into the <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbcA624c>suspicious death</a> of a prosecutor who was slated to testify about the president's role in a plot to cover up Iran's role in a 1994 bombing.</p><br/>
<p>• A former police official in Guatemala was <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbdAce43>convicted</a> of crimes against humanity for his role in the 1980 siege of the Spanish Embassy.</p><br/>
</ul>
Asia

<ul>
<p>• After one of North Korea's most famous defectors <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbeA08ed>recanted</a> key details about his imprisonment, the country's government claimed that a United Nations report on its human rights violations was wrong.</p><br/>
<p>• India's tiger population has grown <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbfA639d>30 percent</a> since 2011. </p><br/>
<p>• Nepalese lawmakers threw chairs and microphones during <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbgAb21d>scuffles</a> that broke out in parliament ahead of a deadline to draft a new national constitution.</p><br/>
</ul>
Europe

<ul>
<p>• Populist parties are expected to make <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbhAa512>significant gains</a> in power throughout Europe in 2015.</p><br/>
<p>• Four men thought to be connected to the Paris attacks that <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbiA9399>killed 17 people</a> will <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbjAf586>face a judge</a> Tuesday.</p><br/>
<p>• The Pope <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDbkA1907>reaffirmed</a> the Church's ban on contraceptives on Monday. </p><br/>
</ul>
Middle East

<ul>
<p>• Iran confirmed that an Israeli airstrike in southern Syria that killed several Hezbollah fighters also <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5if8PoxbM7umQIA0f35>killed an Iranian general</a>.</p><br/>
<p>• The leader of Bahrain's Shiite opposition will <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5if8PoxbM7umQLA8e67>stand trial</a> next week for "promoting political change using illegal forceful means and threats."</p><br/>
<p>• Israel should <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414;' href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c726x14.22fo/VL5i98PoUWhdCDblAd103>work with</a> the International Criminal Court, which announced last week it will investigate possible war crimes in the Palestinian territories, said Germany's top human rights official.</p><br/>
</ul>
- By Thomas Stackpole

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